ECA calls for optimized ICT taxes to power Africa’s digital future

Addis Ababa, 17 September 2026 (ECA) — The UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has called for more balanced and growth-oriented taxation of the ICT sector to make digital services more affordable, encourage investment and advance inclusive digital transformation across Africa.  The call was made during an online workshop on “Implementing the ECA ICT Tax Optimization Model for Economic Growth and Job Creation in Africa,” which brought together 144 participants from 46 countries, including 34 African countries and 12 countries from other regions, to discuss ECA’s report on optimizing ICT tax regimes and practical approaches to implementation.  Opening the workshop, Dr. Mactar Seck, Chief of ECA’s Emerging and Frontier Technologies, Innovation and Digital Transformation Section, noted that ICT taxation should be considered within the sector’s broader economic contribution rather than solely from the perspective of short-term fiscal returns.  Presenting the report, Mariamawit Ayele, Researcher at ECA, highlighted the growing contribution of the digital economy to employment, productivity, innovation, financial inclusion and wider socioeconomic development. She not...